THE PRESIDENT: Just had an extraordinary discussion with a group of our
fellow citizens -- some are pastors, some are ex-cons, some are baseball
players, some are docs, some are community activists -- all who've come
together to talk about a comprehensive strategy to deal with drug use in
America.

And our strategy is threefold: one, reduce demand, interdict supply, and
then help people who have become addicts. And we're making progress. No
question there's still work to do in America, but we are making progress.
And one way to note the progress is this statistic: Since 2001, teenage
use has declined by 25 percent. That means 900,000 fewer teens on drugs.

The strategy can be measured. The implementation requires understanding
that grassroots activists -- for example, like the faith community -- can
play an integral work in working alongside government to achieve our
objectives. The Admiral here has -- Admiral Allen, Commandant of the Coast
Guard, reported about our interdiction efforts -- that we've been making
great progress at interdicting, for example, cocaine being trafficked
primarily out of South America and Central America into our country.

And finally I am pleased that the Access to Recovery program and programs
like that are vibrant and active, which basically says to an addict: If
you so choose, you can redeem your health, redeem your money at a place of
love in the faith community.

Lives are changing. People's lives are being saved. I say government is
justice, government is law -- but government must not fear places of love.
And so this has been a positive report and a great meeting, and I want to
thank you all for coming. More importantly I want to thank you for being
citizens, and not spectators -- people who have decided to do something
about your personal lives, as well as the lives of those in your
communities. It's the collective effort of thousands of social
entrepreneurs that help make America a hopeful place.

There will be more work done after I'm out of here, but we have laid the
foundation for a successful effort against drug use, drug supply, and
helping those who have been addicted.